BC Parks needs more funding!
Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC Accessing the backcountry one step at a time • A democratic, grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and maintaining access to quality non-motorized backcountry recreation in British Columbia’s mountains and wilderness • A federation of 45+ outdoor clubs from across BC that build and maintain trails for the public • A membership of over 5000 people engaged in non- motorized backcountry recreation, including hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, trail running, kayaking, mountain biking, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing
BC and the World Love Our Parks! • We love our provincial parks! • Residents and visitors visit BC parks many times each year Mt. Seymour Provincial Park – October 28, 2019
Financial Benefit of BC’s Parks • BC’s parks deliver great economic value to our province • Canadian Parks Council’s research (2009) shows every $1.00 invested in the protected area system generates $8.42 in visitor spending on food, entertainment, transportation and other goods and services • BC Government’s Tourism strategy notes • Visitors travel to BC to experience nature in a way unavailable to them in their home country • BC’s parks system is one of the largest and most significant in the world and a key attraction for citizens and tourists • BC Government statistics show: • In 2017, the tourism industry generated $18.4 billion in revenue, contributing $9 billion to the provincial GDP
Protecting BC’s Reputation BC has a fantastic reputation with our brand: Super, Natural BC • The underfunding of our provincial parks is threatening that reputation • • BC Parks’ 2001 operating budget was about $41 million • With CPI correction, $41 million would be $56.8 million in 2019 • BC’s population increased by 22% since 2001, so a budget of $41 million in 2001 would be about $70 million in 2019, on a per capita basis with CPI correction • BC Parks’ 2016 operating budget was $31.16 million • BC Parks’ 2017 operating budget was $40.7 million BC government has done a good job of increasing the number of front- • country campsites in the past two years, but lack of campsites is only part of the problem. Trails, infrastructure, parking, access and maintenance still need to be addressed. Once BC loses our reputation as a place that is welcoming to tourists, we • will have to spend much more than $50 million/year to regain the positive momentum
Example: Joffre Lakes • In the past few years this popular park northeast of Pemberton has become overcrowded with visitors • Visitation has increased significantly from 58k in 2008 to 170k in 2017 • In 2019, BC Parks arranged for a contractor to implement a shuttle service for road safety • BC Parks’ recent survey found that Joffre Lakes park visitors are not satisfied with the overcrowding • This is just one of many parks that needs more of BC Parks’ attention
More Park Rangers Needed • Before 2016 • The number of full-time rangers in all of BC had fallen to six • After 2016 there have been improvements: • 31 full-time rangers • Roughly 55 seasonal (auxiliary) rangers • Student work crews hired in summer 2019 to work on trails and facilities throughout BC What does this mean for BC’s approximately 1,033 parks • and protected areas? Only 1 ranger per 13 parks or protected areas •
Why are Park Rangers Needed? • With more park visitors and some parks reaching or exceeding capacity, our provincial parks would benefit from additional full-time and part-time rangers • The presence of park rangers is essential to enforce BC Parks policies that protect the natural environment from inappropriate use such as campfires, tents in incorrect locations, and garbage
Example: South Chilcotin • Near Relay Mountain, mountain bikers have been riding off trail and damaging the fragile vegetation • With no ranger presence the damage will continue
Example: South Chilcotin Mountain Bike Damage
Granby Provincial Park Note on BC Parks website: Reduced Trail Maintenance In order to meet budget targets, trail maintenance has been reduced on all trails in Granby Provincial Park. Although these trails remain open, users may encounter fallen trees and/or trail wash-outs. Extra caution is advised.
Granby: Garbage Left by Park Users or Exploiters Picking Mushrooms
Deferral of Expenses • At current funding levels, large amounts of maintenance required in BC Parks is being deferred • Facilities and trails that could be fixed with small repairs today will need comprehensive rebuilding efforts at a much greater cost tomorrow • The FMCBC is collecting a library of photos from our members documenting the maintenance needs across the province. Shown next are some of those examples.
Example: Cypress Provincial Park • Hollyburn Peak is one of the most popular trails in Cypress Provincial Park • Most of the trail is in fairly good shape but a few places are muddy as shown • Local rangers only have a very small budget for trail maintenance • BC Parks’ focus is currently the Howe Sound Crest Trail. Some work was also done on Black Mountain.
Mt. Seymour Examples A heavily used main trail on Mt. Seymour that is eroding away in some places. (Oct 28, 2019)
More Examples on Mt. Seymour Perimeter Trail - heading to Goldie Lake (July 16, 2019)
More Mt. Seymour Examples Perimeter Trail (July 16, 2019)
Squamish Chief • Most of the stairs on the Squamish Chief trail are in pretty good shape • Repair work is needed in several places • An email inquiry from our member to BC Parks about this has received no reply
Bedwell Trail Stairs
Kokanee Park Trail
Manning Park Heather Trail
Manning Park
Help Needed for BC Parks • Current levels of funding are not adequate to ensure the environmental values of our provincial park system are protected • As visitor numbers increase, new facilities such as outhouses and alpine meadow boardwalks must be added • As parks reach capacity, thought must be given to providing provincial park status to environmentally sensitive areas that are receiving overflow crowds
Search and Rescue Costs • Some of the costs that are being "saved" by underfunding BC Parks are just being absorbed by other departments. This is very inefficient and unsustainable. • Missing or broken signs and lack of trail maintenance cause of a number of search and rescue operations each year • Although SAR is usually performed by volunteers, expenses and costs of SAR operations are covered by the provincial government, including air ambulance, rescue helicopters and medical care
BC Parks Needs Help • There is no debate: Increased visitation to our provincial parks is a good thing, benefiting our: ü Economy ü Citizens – health, well-being & resilience ü Environment ü Species at risk ü Clean BC To grow the benefits, funding to BC Parks must increase • with visitor numbers Otherwise, the benefits will be short lived and future • expenses will be much larger
Provincial Budget • While responsibility for protected areas has doubled, financial resourcing for BC Parks has fallen from 0.6% of the provincial budget to less than 0.2%
Recommended Budget Additions • Park Operations: $11 million for 100+ FTE staff • Conservation specialists, senior and seasonal rangers to implement the 2010 Auditor General’s recommendations and education interpreters to deliver educational programs Capital Maintenance: $10 million to address deferred maintenance of the existing plant • • Parks currently spends less than half of the recommended industry standard of 3% Resource Management: $5 million for unfunded resource management projects • • The 2010 Auditor General’s report identified $155 million of unfunded resource management projects in approved management plans Land Acquisition: $10 million • • There are likely over $200 million of acquisitions on the BC Parks acquisition list including inholdings, new park proposals and property to improve existing parks such as the recent Princess Louisa acquisition Capital Development: $15 million • • Other than some campground expansion in the past three years, there have been no new park developments in 30 years, resulting in the over-crowding brought by population growth in that same time period as evidenced by line-ups for day use and camping
Committee Recommends Increases The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services once again recommended increased funding for 2020: "Increase operational funding for BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC to support staffing, monitoring and enforcement, maintenance, public safety, and recreational infrastructure and services, including promoting and supporting volunteer efforts.”
Summary • The FMCBC has provided rationale for doubling BC Parks’ current budget to allow for better protection of our parks • Please make positive changes in the 2020-21 budget for the benefit of our beautiful BC Parks
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